“CIU Inc. – changing lives, building futures”
Jonathan (JB) Burton, raised in Winter Haven, Florida, attended Triumph Church in Bartow, Florida under the pastorship of his mother Pastor Mae Burton; JB was heavily involved in the youth, trustee board, and music ministry.
Nephew of 4-time NBA All-Star Otis Birdsong; Jonathan attended and played basketball at Southeastern University after transferring from Hawaii Pacific University where he enjoyed becoming the man that God has called him to be. While attending Southeastern University, he was voted a team captain, and became a spiritual leader amongst his peers. In 2005, Jonathan helped to lead the Southeastern University Fire basketball team to their first National Championship in school’s history. Apart from being a leader on the court, Jonathan walked in close discipleship under the mentor-ship of Dr. Mark Rutland, the University’s President at the time, and former president of Oral Roberts University. Dr. Rutland spoke directly into Jonathan’s life on many occasions, further preparing JB for a life in full-time ministry. Also during his time at SEU, JB had the opportunity to be personally mentored by Roosevelt Hunter. Roosevelt and his wife Eileen would be a constant source of strength and mentorship in JB’s journey to accomplish the ministry God desires for his life.
Approaching graduation, JB found himself at a crossroad, deciding whether to pursue ministry full-time, or to devote his time to basketball. JB made the decision to pursue full time ministry when given the opportunity to be the Program Director of an inner city youth ministry at the Freedom Center in Lakeland, Florida. While at the Freedom Center, JB helped oversee the evening basketball ministry, ran an after school program, and a 9 week summer program which touched the hearts of the young people in that community, providing a safe haven in an area where there were over 200 registered sex offenders within a 10 mile radius.
While focusing on ministry full time, the opportunity came to play Pro Basketball. After praying over the situation and receiving confirmation from a friend, JB embarked upon his professional career playing for an ABA team in Orlando Florida. Before practice, during training camp one day, God revealed to JB that He didn’t want people to see him as a professional basketball player, but rather as a man of God who plays professional basketball.
After having the opportunity to play pro basketball in Australia, JB found himself at another crossroad. He felt the call of God placed on his heart to really seek going back into full time ministry. Soon after, God opened the door for JB to become the youth pastor of Desire of All Nations Assemblies of God in Lutz, Florida. During this time, God really poured out His blessing upon this ministry; the youth group grew considerably in just two months. The church budget couldn’t sustain a youth pastor at that time, so Jonathan had to resign, which in the same week God open up an opportunity for him at Crossover Community Church.
As a staff intern at Crossover Community Church, the first Hip Hop church ever planted under the leadership of Pastor Tommy Kyllonen, aka Urban D, Jonathan helped in many aspects of the ministry, including starting an outreach ministry to reach the community using the tool of basketball. After the internship, Jonathan began a full time ministry position in Hammond, Louisiana at Harvest Family Church where God used him to help build a youth ministry called Nu Nation. He was asked to join this ministry team by his mentor Roosevelt Hunter who God birth this vision in alongside Pastor Bray Sibley.
Fall of 2010, God brought yet another transition in Jonathan’s Life; after his mentor Roosevelt Hunter passed away from cancer, he transitioned to partner with Pastor Corey Hicks to plant a church in the Gentilly/7th ward of New Orleans. A few months before he moved to New Orleans, God gave him a vision for this organization that would help people change their lives by teaching them to invest in their futures(See Vision and Mission Tabs at the top for more info). In the year following the Launch of Cross It Up, Jonathan Launched NOLA Preparatory School and its Adult Alternative Educational Program. Since its inception, NOLA Prep has graduated over 250 students that have earned a State Approved Highschool Diploma! (see NOLA Prep Tab at the Top) Once Jonathan transitioned to New Orleans to partner with Pastor Corey, they started outreaches on 4 campuses: John McDonogh High, Dillard University, Tulane University, and Orleans Parish Prison, sharing the gospel and dealing with moral character issues that empowered students and young adults to become leaders on their campuses and communities.
In 2020, Jonathan completed his Certification With the John Maxwell Team, and is a certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with the John Maxwell Team. Jonathan has become a marriage coach & trainer with 2 of the top marriage assessment agencies in the world.
Currently, Jonathan is working diligently with the church he planted in 2021, Regeneration Church NOLA, which is the first of many church plants to come. Regeneration’s purpose is to bring Hope to the hopeless, and Rebuild communities one life and one brick at a time. He also works with the Jr. NBA as a clinician for the Jr. NBA youth clinics, and Jr. NBA League during NBA Allstar weekend.
God has really blessed Jonathan; aside from all that has already been mentioned, He has taught in the public, private, and ministry school systems in Florida, Louisiana, and Michigan; he is a certified Mental Health Professional, certified by the State of Florida as a Forensics Evaluator, which allowed him to do Mental Health Assessments on inmates in Highlands, Hardee, and Polk County, plus work with the district 14 Mental Health Court in Florida alongside Judge Angela Cowden.
Jonathan hopes to use his gifts, and calling to “impact” generations, unite communities, and nations by communicating a message of “Hope & Restoration” in relevant and effective ways.
Jonathan is married to Brandy Burton, and they have 3 beautiful children, Zoe, Jonathan Jr., and Gabrielle. Brandy also works as administrator for CIU, focusing her Administrative gifting on NOLA Preparatory School.
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